Boulder County opens Colorado wildfire mitigation rebate program two months early

Boulder County has started its rebate program for homeowners who do wildfire mitigation two months earlier than in the past, citing the heightened fire danger of this year's warm and dry winter.

This is the third year for the program, which was enabled by a voter-backed tax for mitigation purposes approved in 2022. Homeowners in the county can get up to $500 in mitigation expenses reimbursed. It's open to homeowners and renters in the county including those in cities and towns.

"Giving people a couple hundred dollars gets them started and they end up spending a lot of time and effort. Because you start with one call to action, you're not done," said Jim Webster, wildfire mitigation program manager for Boulder County.

Boulder County has been trying to broaden mitigation in the aftermath of the Marshall Fire.

 "Historically our community mitigation efforts have been in the foothills and mountains. So now, post-Marshall Fire, we're working with communities throughout the county to become adapted," said Webster.

Homeowners and renters can qualify for rebates on a list of items the county describes as calls to action.

On the list is "Cut the clutter," under decks, "Fences are fuses," which calls attention to flammable fences by homes, "Junk your junipers," which points out that junipers with oils are very flammable, "Protect home base," which suggests covering the bottom 6 inches of siding with non-combustible material, "The first five feet," which asks for a 5 foot border around the home of non-combustible material, and "Vents for defense," which calls for the addition of screens or non-flammable vents where flying embers can enter.

There's additional information at wildfirepartners.org.